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8 Lesser Known Symptoms of Low Testosterone

Hypogonadism or low testosterone in men is a strange illness: while it affects about 5 million men in the USA, only 5% of those afflicted are rightly diagnosed with the disease and receive treatment for it.

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A significant reason behind this is because of the social stigma attached to masculinity and men’s libidos. Men find it difficult to discuss sexual problems even within their family.

For most men having this conversation with physicians also becomes tough, resulting in a misdiagnosis.

In fact, there is such little conversation around low testosterone as an ailment, that most people are unaware that the more prominent signs—erectile dysfunction and loss of sexual libido—indicate a larger physiological problem.

Seeing how mild to severe forms affect 60% of men over sixty, these prominent signs are merely attributed to age.

Low testosterone can hinder your sex life and cause obesity and depression in men. Fortunately, once correctly diagnosed, this condition can be treated with medical intervention.

If you suspect you or your loved ones suffer from hypogonadism, it is essential to look beyond the most prominent signs for the right diagnosis.

Here are 8 lesser-known symptoms of low testosterone:

1. Genital numbness

Male genitalia is extremely sensitive. It almost immediately reacts to touch. The sensitivity in your penis is because there is nearly always a ready flow of blood from your scrotum to your penis.

The numerous nerve endings present in your genitalia also cause sensitivity. However, low testosterone levels may cause you to feel no sensation—pleasurable or otherwise—on touching your penis.

The penis usually responds with an explosion of sensations during sexual stimulation. When you have low testosterone levels, your penis may lack consciousness and be rendered numb because of lack of sexual drive that low testosterone brings.

This numbness can affect your sex life immensely, so it is essential that you get blood tests done if you suspect it may be because of low testosterone.

2. Fatigue

With low testosterone levels comes the feeling of perpetual tiredness. No matter how much you sleep, if you find yourself yawning or feeling fatigued, it may indicate that you have low testosterone levels.

This particular symptom is key to diagnosing people suffering from low testosterone levels because this symptom manifests even in those with relatively healthy lifestyles.

Chronic fatigue can make day-to-day functioning especially tricky. The best way of overcoming testosterone-related fatigue is through testosterone replacement therapies, combined with healthy foods that are rich in testosterone.

3. Low fluid level

Another clear warning sign of low testosterone is the decrease in the quantity of semen produced when you ejaculate.

Semen is produced when your testicles, prostate and semen vesicles work in tandem. This entire process is monitored by testosterone, and lower quantities of the hormone may cause your ejaculation quantity to be small.

You may experience a regular (or high) orgasm, but your semen quantity may be surprisingly low. On the whole, there are wide variations in semen production.

However, you must see a doctor if your ejaculation volume has been consistently low.

4. More body fat

One of the reasons behind this is that 23% of genes that control your weight and testosterone levels overlap.

Therefore, it is no surprise that there is a correlation between your weight and your testosterone levels. If you have excess weight, especially around your abdomen and chest, your low testosterone levels might just be the reason behind it.

By persisting at daily exercise (especially strength training) and maintaining good health, your testosterone levels can bounce up to 100 points and help you reduce body fat.

Foods like Tuna and Egg yolk help to revive and boosting testosterone levels. Vegans sticking to the plant-based diet can try foods like Beans and Saw Palmetto, which can be highly beneficial.

5. Irritability

Testosterone levels control your mood to a great extent. These determine your day to day wellness.

If you suffer from low testosterone, you may find yourself succumbing to stress, responding irritably to your colleagues and partner.

There is actually a term for it. “Irritable Men Syndrome”, and it is similar to menopause in women. It usually occurs with men having low testosterone between the ages of 40 to 60.

Besides the emotional haywire directly caused by testosterone, irritability can also result from a decreased sex drive.

This symptom is relatively reversible through exercising and healthy eating, paired with medical and familial support.

6. Shrinkage

Quite obviously, one of the foremost areas to be impacted by low testosterone levels are testicles.

As the production site for testosterone, one of the most telling ways in which you can determine your testosterone level is by examining your testicles.

Low testosterone often results in your testicles getting soft and shrinking in size.

This can affect your reproductive health, so if you feel this symptom applies to you, seek medical help as soon as possible to prevent irreversible damage to your genitalia.

7. Reduced muscle mass

A key factor that results in men building muscle mass is their high testosterone levels. This muscular mass is why several athletes take testosterone-fuelled steroids to amplify their performance.

While this fluctuation is definitely not recommended, what this points at is that if you find that your muscular mass is unexpectedly reducing or you are left feeling weaker, low testosterone might be the culprit.

Loosening of muscles and muscular ache can also be linked to low testosterone in your body. Watch out your diet. You might be low on vitamins that men need.

8. Mood problems

Mood problems are very common among men with low testosterone. About 56% of men with low testosterone are clinically depressed or been in depressive spells.

Besides directly controlling your mood, the effects of low testosterone could be lowered sexual drive, fatigue and sleeplessness.Mental health practitioners believe that men who exhibit signs of depression, may actually be suffering from low testosterone.

Final Words -

Don’t ignore the warning signs of low testosterone. While low testosterone levels are popularly known to be combated by testosterone replacement therapy, in actual practice, this is a far less occurrence.

For most people, low testosterone, while a debilitating issue, is age-related and can be resolved by lifestyle changes. With proper diagnosis, regular exercise and a healthy diet, this can be reversed over time.